1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to amusement devices and games. More specifically, the invention relates to football in the area of kicking tees and kicking trainers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Football kicking trainers are known primarily as practice aids used with standard size and weight footballs. Related devices are known for catching other types of balls such as golf balls. The general structure of such ball-catching trainers has included a strong frame and a ground anchor to hold the frame in place against the force of the practice ball. U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,846 to Forrest teaches such a football kicking trainer wherein a frame supported net includes a target area having a simulated cross-bar and uprights with adjustable width of the target area.
Although ball-catching trainers function adequately for their intended purposes, their use has been largely limited to skilled athletes since the trainers are relatively costly because of heavy construction. Trainers for football kicking practice have provided target areas, as with the above noted patent, but have not simulated an actual goal post since this type of structure is unnecessary for use by skilled athletes.
Particularly in the case of football kicking trainers, there has been no adequate provision for indoor use, reflecting the basic outdoor nature of the game in terms of space required and relatively high force applied to the kicked ball. Typical indoor home space limitations make the use of prior known kicking trainers inadvisable, and the lack of suitable means of fastening such a trainer to the floor in a home also tends to discourage its use.
For the above noted reasons, football kicking trainers have not previously been suited for use as indoor toys.